Tenants get help

Relief may be on the way for renters facing hard times during the recession after a Board of Supervisors committee generally expressed support for expanded tenant protections Monday.

The package of new laws applies to the city’s rent-controlled units. It includes suspending any rent increases that push a tenant’s rent past 33 percent of his income and allowing tenants to add roommates to help pay for rent — within the limits of city housing codes.

A third provision restricts to eight percent annual “banked” rent increases, in which landlords save up rent increases allowed under city rent control laws and impose them at one time.

The ordinances were championed by Supervisor Chris Daly and supported by several other board members.

Approximately two-thirds of San Franciscans are renters and approximately 88 percent of all rental units in the city are rent-controlled, according to Ted Eagen, chief economist in the city Controller’s Office.

Egan said that landlords likely would make up for the lost rent increases by raising rents on new tenants. Landlords are permitted to raise rents to market rates once a tenant moves out, but annual increases are restricted thereafter.

Egan also said the legislation could have the unintended consequence of making landlords less likely to rent to low-income people, fearing that their rent would more likley exceed 33 precent of their income.

Commitee members Eric Mar and David Chiu expressed support for all three measures, but said they wanted to explore a sunset provision for the 33 percent rule, ending it when the economy improved.

The proposals will now move to the board’s Government Audit and Oversight Committee.